All the autumn vibes
Winona Ryder for Jimmy Choo, my picks from M&S’s new Beauty Discovery box, Glossier drops Crème de You, and Kate Winslet's makeup at the LEE premiere.
Hi, everyone! How has your week been?
It’s been raining all day here - I threw on a trench and A WOOL SCARF to run some errands earlier. 😳
My eldest had her nails done at our lovely high street nail bar this afternoon, and went for a Rouge Noir-alike deep berry that looked so delicious, resistance is futile. Bring on all the M&S Heatgen tights and socks, the fleece-lined opaques, and throw in some chunky black boots à la Winona Ryder in the 90s-inspired new ad campaign for Jimmy Choo’s fall collection.
Sandra Choi, Creative Director at Jimmy Choo, cast Winona for her Gen X-icon status, and because “we are contemporaries, we were both in our early 20s in the ‘90s.”
M&S’s latest, limited edition beauty box, The Beauty Discovery Edit, has just landed in stores.
At £30, you get a mix of full and mini sizes, and, of course, whether or not it represents good value will depend on what you’d actually use. It’s worth taking the same approach you would to sales shopping with sets like this, and asking yourself “will I use this/would I be drawn to this at full price?”.
The beauty Advent Calendar is yet to come - this is a standalone set, and you’re not required to spend over a certain amount to buy it at £30.
The Midlife Beauty Edit’s picks from the new M&S box:
Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eyeliner.
Not a full size but enough to see you through the season, the felt tip-style formula will help you create a long-lasting, cat eye flick (to go with your autumn trench).
Nuxe Multi-Purpose Dry Oil
Ahh, Nuxe! I know how much many of you adore this OG shimmering dry oil (because you told me after this post!). Apply it to post-summer skin now, before the layers go on, and then reach for it again when the party season comes around. This a small size, which actually would be quite handy for weekends away, and travel.
L'Occitane Lavender Hand Cream
This is a full size, and worth £15. So, if you’re in the market for a gorgeously-scented hand cream that will transport you to the Lavender Festival of Provence, then you’ve already covered half the price of the whole box.
Arkive Hybrid Oil
Celebrity hair stylist Adam Reed showcased his hair care and styling range recently at the M&S press event, and this is from the line-up. Applied to towel-dried hair before styling, this lightweight oil is designed to help fight frizz and flyaways, without weighing hair down. I haven’t tried it myself, but given you get a full size (which would usually cost £14), for me, it ticks the worth-a-”discovery” box.
(Pastel-coloured products from super-stylists are definitely having their moment.)
Living Proof Clarifying Shampoo
Obviously, a fabulous range worth trying something new from. (One caveat: I’m a tiny bit weary of clarifying shampoos, after a bad experience with a premium hair and scalp treatment stripped the colour from my highlights).
This is one I haven’t tried - any fans in the MBE community?
Travel sizes aren’t just for holidays
Space NK is SO smart when it comes to the curation and positioning in stores of its permanent range of miniature sizes of iconic products (usually near the cash desk).
Essentially, it’s pick ‘n’ mix.
What could be cuter than those scaled-down versions of classics, across all categories, from haircare favourites by OUAI, Living Proof and Oribe, to skin care - including Mario Badescu facial sprays (SO refreshing - more on facial sprays soon!).
And those baby Malin + Goetz Eucalyptus Deodorants!
I’ve used this formula daily, even in the height of the sticky summer heatwave, ever since mentioning it here. It’s really good (and the twist-up stick lasts ages. So the mini would keep you going, for sure).
Mini-me versions of premium products are a great way to try before you splurge, as well as being handy for travel.
In other beauty news this week
With Australian friends in mind, Sephora is celebrating 10 years in the country with the reopening of its flagship store, in Melbourne.
Spread out over 693 square metres, the new-look store now stocks over 120 brands, and includes zones for skin consultations and treatments.
“We are excited to continue our expansion with new stores in Miranda, NSW; Marion, SA; Fountain Gate, Victoria, and Northlakes, Brisbane,” said Mark O’Keefe, GM at Sephora Australia and New Zealand.
Glossier drops Crème de You
Following the success of the bestselling Glossier You scent, Crème de You - the body cream - is now available (exclusively at Glossier stores and online - it hasn’t gone into Space NK in the UK yet).
Definitely more a a cream than a lotion, it’s designed to feel nourishing and cosseting, but not heavy or greasy, and to leave skin delicately scented.
To read
Cosy goals: if anything’s going to get me excited about layering-up for autumn, it’s this irresistibly cosy essay by on dressing like a Nora Ephron character.
On hunting down the perfect, Ephron-esque sweater, Erika writes: “This is a job for the wool number you borrowed from your grandpa as a kid and never gave back. We’re looking for sweaters with some personality, some heft.” —Long Live on Substack
Finally, how lovely is the look that Lisa Eldridge created for Kate Winslet for the premiere of her movie LEE this week?
In her post, Lisa breaks down the products she used to get the look, including her Lisa Eldridge Kitten Flick Eyeliner (side note: also worn by Lily Collins during the shooting of Emily In Paris!).
Lisa also used her own Sculpt and Shade Lip Pencil in 01, “to line and sculpt” and 1C to shade in. The sun kissed glow came courtesy of Fenty Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzer in Inda Sun and Shady Biz.
Oooh, I just watched Jessica Chastain do a "get ready with me" type video for Vogue on Youtube - she was raving about the Mario Badesco Rose spray! I love her. She was definitely keeping it real. Anyway, you're the second or third person to mention this spray so now it's in my cart. Thank you! Kate Winslet is always so classy. She is just beautiful.
Interested in the clarifying shampoo, as the grey hair I’m now sporting tends to go yellow - caused by city pollution, and my hairdresser suggested clarifying shampoo. I guess if it stripped the added colour from your hair it might take the yellow out of mine!